Category: Birthstone of the Month

Garnet is the birthstone for January. Garnet is so durable, remnants of Garnet jewelry can be found as far back as the Bronze Age. Other references go back to 3100 BC when the Egyptians used Garnet as inlays in their jewelry and carvings.

This beautiful stone is mined in a rainbow of colors. Rare Garnets in green or blue make breathtaking pieces, especially in pendants or drop earrings. From the fiery orange of Mandarin Garnet to the rich green of Tsavorite Garnet and to the most widely recognized deep red color of Pyrope Garnet, it is considered a great gift to symbolize friendship and trust. In addition, legend has it that those who wear the Garnet will be bestowed with peace, prosperity and good health.

People born in October are lucky – they are gifted with two birthstones – Opals and Tourmalines. Opals have been considered bringers of good luck since the Middle Ages! Opal hues can range across the spectrum; an Opal might display a single color, two or three colors, or all the colors of the rainbow! Black Opal is said to strengthen your character and considered to be the rarest of all the Opals.

Tourmaline is the most colorful of all gemstones, occurring in various shades of virtually every hue even watermelon, which is green on the outside and pink on the inside. Blue, green, and red Tourmaline (also called Rubellite) are the most popular types used in gemstone jewelry. Tourmalines are also believed to be useful in relaxing the body and the mind, and to help in the treatment of many different diseases such as anxiety, blood poisoning, arthritis, and heart disease.

Pearls

Pearls have been highly valued as gemstones since antiquity. Unlike most other gemstones which are mineral, Pearls are organic and are formed by living organisms. For centuries, Pearls have been a symbol of beauty and purity. Today, they are regarded as both classic and contemporary, coming in many more fashionable styles than your grandmother’s traditional strand of Pearls. Did you know that while the most common color is white, Pearls naturally occur in nearly every color under the rainbow.

Come to Werkheiser Jewelers and indulge in a magnificent range of gorgeous pearl earrings, necklaces and rings – the staple of every jewelry collection. Need your Pearl necklace restrung? Bring it to us. We have a Pearl expert on site.

Depending on their trace element content, sapphire, a variety of the mineral corundum, might be blue, yellow, green, orange, pink, purple or even show a six-rayed star if cut as a cabochon.

The name “sapphire” can also apply to any corundum that’s not ruby, another corundum variety.

Traditionally, sapphire symbolizes nobility, truth, sincerity, and faithfulness. It has decorated the robes of royalty and clergy members for centuries. Its extraordinary color is the standard against which other blue gems—from topaz to tanzanite—are measured. (source: GIA.edu)

Found in lava, meteorites, and deep in the earth’s mantle, yellow-green PERIDOT is the extreme gem.

The ancient Egyptians mined peridot on the Red Sea island of Zabargad, the source for many large fine peridots in the world’s museums. The Egyptians called it the “gem of the sun.” Today this gem is still prized for its restful yellowish green hues and long history.

Most peridot formed deep inside the earth and was delivered to the surface by volcanoes. Some also came to earth in meteorites, but this extraterrestrial peridot is extremely rare, and not likely to be seen in a retail jewelry store.

Ruby has accumulated a host of legends over the centuries. People in India believed that rubies enabled their owners to live in peace with their enemies. In Burma (a ruby source since at least 600 AD—now called Myanmar), warriors possessed rubies to make them invincible in battle. However, it wasn’t enough to just wear the rubies. They had to insert them into their flesh and make them part of their bodies.

The name ruby comes from the Latin word ruber, which means “red.” The glowing red of ruby suggested an inextinguishable flame burning in the stone, even shining through clothing and able to boil water.